When Woman Breaks into Man’s Bastion

  A young female chooses and excels in welding profession

by Shrutee K/DNS

While the welding profession is considered as the male-dominated one, a 24-year-old woman broke the glass ceiling by choosing this as her occupation. Now working in a reputed Pune-based company in Maharashtra, Komal Ganpat Chunarkar was the first female trainee enrolled in the welding course at Ambuja Cement Foundation’s (ACF) Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Institute (SEDI) in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur.

In fact, the graduates of SEDIs being run across India by ACF – the CSR arm of the leading cement manufacturer Ambuja Cements Ltd which is part of the global conglomerate LafargeHolcim – are not only witnessing a significant transformation in their lives but also breaking the societal barriers.

Komal, who hails from Thutra village in Korpana Taluka, bucked gender stereotypes even as she faced many roadblocks while undergoing training – people around her mocked her and doubted her aspiration. But she stood firm, every day reminding herself that women could achieve anything – then emerged as a fully trained welder, paving the way for many other young girls in Chandrapur to follow suit.

Today, welding is gaining equal popularity among the female youth in Chandrapur - thanks to Komal’s courage, hard work and success!

Komal, who is earning Rs 12,500 per month, is proud of her achievements and talks of her journey with us.

     

Why did you choose this field?

Welding is a field which is generally not considered suitable for women. While I was looking for a vocational training course, even I was surprised to find out that SEDI is offering welding course for women – something which was unheard of. But when SEDI staff shared with me that the opportunities in this field are open for both men and women, I was interested in exploring the field. There are very few women in the welding sector and hence the competition is low.  The urgent need to earn money and an opportunity to do something different from others motivated me to take up this course.

What was the first reaction you get from the people when you tell them that you work in welding sector?

Most people cautioned me that I have chosen a wrong field which was not meant for women. They felt that welding needs a lot of physical work and working in a factory setup is not a woman’s cup of tea. I, however, don’t think so and I feel that I have proved all of them wrong.  Today I work at Taikisha Engineering at Pune and that too at the shop floor with my other colleagues.

Please tell me about your family background.

I belong to a poor family from the rural area of Chandrapur district. There are five members in my family, including my parents and two younger brothers – all of them working as daily wage earners. It gives me immense satisfaction to be working in a good company and sharing the financial responsibility at home. It feels really good that in last two years I could significantly contribute to my family’s income that has helped uplift our socio-economic status in the village.

Do you think that women are less preferred this sector?

Yes, it is true. But the scenario is changing now. Earlier the systems in my company were different and there were only three women workers, but now more of them are joining in.

As a woman in this field do you face any challenges?

As a trainer, I did not face any challenges. The training process at SEDI was quite smooth and so was the placement. But later, when I shifted to Pune, I had to struggle a bit – making arrangements of accommodation, food and commute. It took me some time to get comfortable with the city atmosphere. Even at work, I had to push myself to build rapport with my colleagues and manager. I believe, if you trust your abilities, no challenge can stop you for long.

How many people were trained by you?

 Soon after I finished my training, I started working in the company. I have not provided any direct training. However, I have motivated several girls to pursue training in their preferred area of work.

How has your life changed post working in this different sector?

My life has changed completely. I am much more confident, have better communication and am financially secure. I am keener to learn new things and am more optimistic. 

Your advice to women who want to step out and do something different?

I still have a long way to go but from my experience I would say that every girl should trust her abilities. Both men and women are equally efficient if provided the right training and environment.